THE MLS EXPANSION THREAD

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MLS commissioner eyes possible New York franchise for 2013
Second Big Apple club could be the league's 20th

MLS commissioner Don Garber said Friday that the league has no intentions of slowing down following a 2012 expansion to Montreal, and that a second New York franchise could be in line for 2013.

Garber told the Associated Press that the league has aspirations of soon fielding a 20th franchise to follow Montreal, which was officially announced on Friday as the league’s third Canadian club and 19th franchise overall.

"Our attention is very focused on a 20th team as we speak. We'd like that team to be in New York City representing a second team in the tri-state area," Garber told the AP. "The Red Bulls are very supportive of that and believe that rivalry will help grow the popularity of the sport in the New York metropolitan area. So we're going to work hard and try to get something done perhaps as early as 2013."


http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/articl...franchise-2013

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Mets Interested in MLS at Citi Field


A club spokesman told The Post, "We've had good dialogue previously with commissioner Garber, and look forward to continuing that in the future."

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/socce...vgmgurbxLiXCNO

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The Borough's Boys Supporters Club want the 2nd team to be the reincarnation of the NY Cosmos


http://www.boroughboysnyc.com/

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New group acquires Cosmos, hopes to be part of MLS


NEW YORK (AP) -- A new group has acquired the name of the old Cosmos soccer team of the North American Soccer League and made Pele its honorary president.

The Cosmos said Sunday they have acquired the Copa NYC tournament and said their goal is to re-establish the team as "a part of Major League Soccer."

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201...#ixzz0vUdebiQo

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http://www.nycosmos.com/announcement/

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BW Gottschee NYC partners with NY Cosmos to form Cosmos Academy East

http://www.bwgottschee.org/

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MLS intrigued by expansion push from NY Cosmos

League interested in hearing more about group's plans

NEW YORK – The ambitions of the group behind the relaunch of the New York Cosmos soccer club are not just rhetoric.

On Sunday the executives at the helm of the project outlined details of their step-by-step plan and unveiled their end goal of having the Cosmos become an expansion club in Major League Soccer.

The league on Monday acknowledged that there have been conversations.

“We remain focused on securing a 20th team for Major League Soccer in New York,” said MLS President Mark Abbott on Monday. “We have met with the group that owns the rights to the Cosmos name and look forward to learning more about their plans.”

Those plans begin at the youth level, with the formation of the Cosmos Academy in partnership with Queens-based youth club BW Gottschee. The youth side will participate in the US Soccer Development Academy.

The Cosmos have even kicked off a grassroots initiative by acquiring the rights to locally run Copa NYC tournament.

The chairman of the new Cosmos is former Tottenham Hotspur executive Paul Kemsley and the honorary president is none other than former Cosmos legend, Pelé.

“Our plan has several phases, but if you fast-forward, it’s our aspiration to play at the highest level in this country and that’s MLS,” executive director Joe Fraga told The New York Times. “And we are serious.”

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/articl...push-ny-cosmos

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David Beckham Has Key Link to New York Cosmos MLS Bid

The principals behind the Cosmos are English. Chairman Paul Kemsley is an investment banker and former director at Tottenham who engineered the purchase of the Cosmos name and logo from G. Peppe Pinton, the former general manager of the NASL incarnation. CEO Carl Johnson runs a marketing and advertising company with offices in London and on Broadway. Cosmos director of soccer Terry Byrne held back-room positions with both Chelsea and the England national team in the 1990s.

-- Byrne is one of David Beckham's best friends and played a key role in Beckham's move to the Galaxy and several key decisions once the famous midfielder arrived, such as the hiring of Ruud Gullit as coach and the inheritance of the captaincy from Landon Donovan. In his book "The Beckham Experiment," Grant Wahl described Byrne as Beckham's "personal manager" and "the unidentified figure who was almost always in Beckham's immediate orbit." Beckham apparently arranged for Byrne to work for the Galaxy as a "paid consultant." Byrne's actual high-level pro soccer experience has been limited to roles as a physical therapist and equipment manager.

-- Beckham's contract with the Galaxy, which will pay him $6.5 million this season, expires at the end of 2011. The deal includes a provision allowing Beckham to be an investor/owner in an MLS franchise once he's done playing. "I still want to be involved. I want to be an ambassador of the league," he said last year. "There's a deal in place where I can purchase an MLS team or start a franchise. It's something I am definitely interested in, or I wouldn't have it in my contract."

http://soccer.fanhouse.com/2010/08/0...osmos-mls-bid/

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The LAFC Board and its Directors of Coaching are pleased to announce that LAFC is now affiliated with The New York Cosmos and Cosmos Academy – West.

LAFC is clearly evolving; and the evolution is exciting. We recently announced some changes within our coaching structure, and are now pleased to announce a change to the organizational structure of the Club as a whole.

LAFC’s Academy teams have joined forces with The New York Cosmos and will now be known as Cosmos Academy – West.

The Club will now be known as LAFC Cosmos. With this new affiliation, LAFC Cosmos will continue to work with the Directors and Coaches of Cosmos Academy – West to create the best youth soccer program in the southland. This new relationship will benefit both the Girls’ and Boys’ programs of LAFC Cosmos as we will have direct access to The New York Cosmos’ camps and clinics, and we will be developing programs that bridge a relationship to the Girls and Boys programs of the equivalent Club on the East -- the Queens, NY club BW Gottschee (now known as BWG Cosmos.)

Starting with the 2010/11 season, each of our players will be wearing the proud colors of The New York Cosmos. As we have always done, we will continue to promote youth development both on and off the field. And we will continue to honor our commitment to making club soccer available to players of every economic ability.

Our success, both on and off the field, will only be bolstered by our ties to this legendary organization.

http://www.lafcsoccer.com/

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SIX TO EIGHT MONTHS
Garber hopes to have an NYC expansion team in place by then


MLS commissoner Don Garber said Saturday that he hopes to complete expansion for a New York team in the next six to eight months. Garber praised the work the New York Cosmos have done in their revival. They have done a great job," he told FSC. "They're a bunch of guys that understand the sport and really connected with the legacy and heritage of that brand.

http://www.bigapplesoccer.com/sectio...ticle_id=25776

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NEW YORK COSMOS U-23 JOIN USL PREMIER DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE

May 4th, 2011 (Tampa, Fla.) – United Soccer Leagues announced today that New York Cosmos U23 will field a team in the Premier Development League (PDL), and will become a full member for the 2012 season. New York Cosmos U23 will play a limited exhibition schedule against PDL competition during the 2011 season, and will not be eligible for the playoffs or the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The PDL franchise will be led by longtime USL player/coach Giovanni Savarese, who is also a member of the 2007 USL Hall of Fame. A coaching announcement, along with the full roster and schedule will be posted by mid‐May on www.uslsoccer.com and www.newyorkcosmos.com.


COSMOS ACADEMY WEEKEND RESULTS

May 3rd, 2011 – Both Cosmos Academies had successful weekends with Cosmos Academy East teams picking up five wins against long-time rival, Met Oval, and Cosmos Academy West U14 and U16 Pre-Academy teams advancing to the next round of the National Cup. Full results are below.

Cosmos Academy East

*U12 White Cosmos Academy East vs Met Oval: 5-1 (Win)
*U12 Blue Cosmos Academy East vs Met Oval: 2-2 (Tie)
*U13 Cosmos Academy East vs Met Oval: 8-0 (Win)
*U14 Cosmos Academy East vs Met Oval: 8-1 (Win)
*U15 Cosmos Academy East vs Met Oval: 1-0 (Win)
*U16 Cosmos Academy East vs Met Oval: 1-0 (Win)
*U18 Cosmos Academy East vs Met Oval: 0-0 (Tie)

***Rescheduled game Tuesday, 5/3 for U14 Cosmos Academy East vs. Met Oval. Final result 5-1 (Win) with goals by Brendan Silva (2), Javier Gonzalez (1), Jonathan Uy (1), and Krenar Alimi (1).

Cosmos Academy West

Boys 14 96′s*
Cosmos Academy West vs. PVSC Exiles 5-0 (Win)
Cosmos Academy West vs. FC Manchester United 5-1 (Win)

Boys 14 97′s*
Cosmos Academy West vs. Santa Monica 1-0 (Win)
Cosmos Academy West vs. San Diego Surf 3-1 (Win)

Boys 16 Pre-Academy*
Cosmos Academy West vs. NHB: 2-0 (Win)
Cosmos Academy West vs. CZ Elite: 2-2 (Tie)

USSDA 16′s
Cosmos Academy West vs. Real Salt Lake: 2-3 (Loss)

USSDA 18′s
Cosmos Academy West vs. Real Salt Lake: 0-1 (Loss)

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Kick Off: Prospective owners want MLS in Detroit by 2013

Group wants to bring MLS to the Motor City in two years

June 7, 2011

Tuesday night won’t be the last time that Landon Donovan is seen walking the streets of Detroit in a Tigers cap if a prospective MLS ownership group has its way.

The group that has been in talks with MLS about a team in Detroit is so bullish about its chances to bring pro soccer to the Motor City that they say: “If New York's not in for 2013, we think that would be our year. I'd say in the next two years, we'll hopefully be in the league."

They say renovations to the Silverdome, which they recently purchased, will take place in the next six to eight months.


http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/articl...s-detroit-2013

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A comprehensive breakdown of available cities for the 20th MLS team

MLS has come a long way from the early days,
and a host of cities would love to join the growing league.
Goal.com breaks down the available cities

Earlier this year, Major League commissioner Don Garber spoke about the intentions of adding a 20th franchise to Major League Soccer. Garber mentioned the lack of teams in the Southeast, and that the league only has a handful in the Midwest. While MLS has had a steady and consistent increase in teams over the last five years, having added seven during that time, Garber states the plan is for the league to eventually go beyond 20.

http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/1110/...s-for-the-20th

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Sacramento reportedly lines up expansion bid
California capital Sacramento makes the case for MLS club


all the expansion talk about a potential second MLS team in New York City, prepare for plenty of speculation about a fourth in California.

A report this morning reveals that former California Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez, who sits on the US Soccer Federation board, is exploring the possibility of landing an MLS franchise for Sacramento, specifically the suburb of Elk Grove.

"I wouldn't characterize it as a long shot, but it's an endeavor that's in its infancy," said Sacramento attorney Dick Hyde, who is one of Núñez’s partners and worked on bringing MLS to Sacramento before the league’s launch in 1996. "I think Elk Grove is probably a really good spot for soccer."

http://www.sacbee.com/2011/12/14/412...ue-soccer.html

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Major League Soccer in Central Florida?
Orlando City making conversation and taking steps.


ORLANDO --
During Don Garber's state of the league address in November, the Major League Soccer commissioner targeted "probable markets for expansion" of a 20th MLS franchise. Garber mentioned Las Vegas, Detroit and "a group in Florida" as the frontrunners.

The "group" he was referring to was the Orlando City Soccer Club ownership, led by Phil Rawlins. The owner and president of OCSC has met twice in the past month with Garber and other MLS officials. One meeting was at MLS headquarters in New York, and the second came at the MLS Cup Final in Los Angeles.

Among the topics of discussion: The Lions inaugural season successes on and off the field, Orlando’s viability as a professional soccer market, and the franchise’s economic positioning to take that next step. Rawlins and his partners moved their USL franchise from Austin, Texas to Orlando with Major League Soccer in mind.

http://www.baynews9.com/article/spor...cember/354217/